Truck set ablaze on Imphal-Ukhrul road
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 09 2011:
Suspected bandh supporters set ablaze a goods laden truck at Gwaltabi along Imphal-Ukhrul road at about 7 pm today.
The truck carrying potato was heading for Imphal after passing through Jessami and Ukhrul.
Fire tenders have moved in from Imphal.
Notably, a number of vehicles and Government offices have been reduced to ashes besides roads being dug out at different places to prevent movement of any vehicle along NH-39 during the ongoing agitation to upgrade Sadar Hills to the status of a district.
Subsequently, the State Government opted to take Kohima-Jessami-Ukhrul for transporting essential commodities to Imphal.
Meanwhile uncertainty continues to dog over the proposal of bringing the Imphal-bound stranded oil tankers and LPG bullets from Khatkhati through Kohima-Jessami road with the drivers opposed to such an arrangement even on a trial basis.
On August 8, a joint meeting of the DGP and officials of the Divisional Sales Office of IOC at Imphal discussed the proposal of bringing the stranded oil tankers and LPG bullets from Khatkhati to Imphal through Kohima-Jessami road via Ukhrul.
Presently, there are around 50 Imphal-bound oil tankers and LPG bullets stranded at Khatkhati following the indefinite blockade imposed by Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee along the National Highways over its demand for upgrading Sadar Hills to the status of a full-fledged revenue district.
The drivers of the stranded oil tankers and LPG bullets today met the Senior Manager of the IOC Oil Depot at Dimapur and made their stand clear against the proposal of taking them through KohimaJessami route.
The stand of the drivers has been communicated to the State Government by the IOC Division Sales office at Imphal.
Notwithstanding the opposition of the stranded drivers, the officials of IOC Divisional Sales office here met representatives of All Manipur Petroleum Products and Transporters' Association in an effort to prevail upon the stranded drivers for taking the Kohima-Jessami road at least on a trial basis.
Although the representatives of Association were inclined to the suggestion of the officials of IOC Divisional Sales Office, the stiff opposition of the stranded drivers has kept the matter unresolved.
Sources in the Divisional Sales Office haver, however, expressed hope that some of the stranded drivers of the oil tankers and LPG bullets would surely fall to the suggestion of taking the Kohima-Jessami route on trial basis.
Meanwhile, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution N Biren has informed that arrangements have been taken up for escorting the stranded oil tankers and LPG bullets from Khatkhati.